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This Is Not the Life I Ordered

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This Is Not the Life I Ordered
Book cover
AuthorDeborah Collins Stephens, Michealene Cristini Risley, Jackie Speier, Jan Yanehiro
IllustratorJohn Grimes
Cover artistJessica Dacher
LanguageEnglish
SubjectSelf-help
GenreNon-fiction
PublisherConari Press
Publication date
March 2007
Publication placeUnited States
Media typeHardcover
Pages220
ISBN1-57324-305-1

This Is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down is a collaborative non-fiction inspirational self-help book written by Deborah Collins Stephens, Michealene Cristini Risley, Jackie Speier, and Jan Yanehiro. The book was first published in a hardcover format in 2007, by Conari Press.[1] The first printing of the work was for thirty-five thousand copies, and a second printing is planned.[2]

About the authors

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The four authors were all friends prior to writing the book.[3] Jackie Speier is a Congresswoman from California, and was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California in 2006.[4] Speier survived five gunshot wounds when she was shot by members of Peoples Temple in 1978 when she traveled to Jonestown with Congressman Leo J. Ryan.[5] Jan Yanehiro is a broadcast journalist, and co-hosted Evening Magazine which aired on San Francisco's KPIX.[6] Yanehiro is a co-executive producer of "Pacific Fusion", a television magazine program featuring Asian American lifestyle, which airs on KRON.[7]

Michealene Cristini Risley was vice-president, group director of licensing and character development, at Sega Corporation.[8] She is also the founder and president of Fresh Water Spigot, a creative content company based in Portola Valley, California.[9] Deborah Collins Stephens is the cofounder and managing partner of the Center for Innovative Leadership.[10] She is also the author of One Size Fits One and co-authored The Maslow Business Reader, with Abraham H. Maslow.[11][12]

Contents

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In the book, the authors share advice gained from personal experiences on topics including family life, work, and love - and the difficulties of balancing these issues.[13] As the title suggests, the book offers fifty ways in which the reader can stay focused and upbeat when misfortune strikes.[14] The book is structured topically, with each chapter dealing with different types of issues such as dealing with misfortune, managing mistakes, understanding money and how to network with other women.[15] Each chapter concludes with a "WIT (Women in Transition) Kit," which contains action plans and exercises related to the previous section.[16][17] The chapter "Understanding Money and a Women’s Worth" provides "straightforward directives" on topics such as net worth, tax returns and how to create a financial plan.[17]

Reception

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This Is Not the Life I Ordered reached the best seller list of the San Francisco Chronicle for the second time in June 2007.[18][19] The book also appeared on the NCIBA bestseller list,[2] and was featured on the "Sacramento 07 Books" list, by the Professional BusinessWomen of California organization.[20] This Is Not the Life I Ordered received a positive review in ForeWord Magazine, where the reviewer noted that the work: "is more about 'turning ‘woe is me’ into action' than coddling."[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Stoeltje, Melissa Fletcher (October 15, 2007). "Many Mothers Say Part-Time Work Is the Ideal". San Antonio Express-News. The Ledger. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  2. ^ a b Rosen, Judith (July 30, 2007). "Indie Surprises for Fall". Publishers Weekly. Reed Business Information.
  3. ^ Fisher, Patty (June 14, 2006). "Fisher: Adversity won't keep Speier down". San Jose Mercury News.
  4. ^ Katayama, Lisa (July 7, 2005). "Reforming California's Prisons: An Interview With Jackie Speier". Mother Jones. The Foundation for National Progress. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  5. ^ Haddock, Vicki (November 16, 2003). "Jackie Speier -- moving on, moving up: Survivor of Jonestown ambush plans run for lieutenant governor". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  6. ^ Staff (September 8, 1986). "A Survivor Celebrates 'Evening Magazine'". San Jose Mercury News.
  7. ^ Nakao, Annie (November 7, 2004). "Spotlight on Bay Area's Asian Americans: 'Pacific Fusion' profiles life and lifestyles in weekly 30-minute show on KRON". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications Inc.
  8. ^ Staff (May 16, 2004). "Cyberspace, it turns out, isn't much of an Eden after all". Newsweek.
  9. ^ Staff (May 1, 1999). "Get girls into the software game". Playthings.
  10. ^ Staff. "Deborah Collins Stephens, Seminar Speaker". pbwc, Professional BusinessWomen of California. PBWC. Archived from the original on 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2001-10-23.
  11. ^ Stephens, Deborah C.; Gary Heil; Tom Parker (April 26, 1999). One Size Fits One: Building Relationships One Customer and One Employee at a Time. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-33167-8.
  12. ^ Maslow, Abraham H. (April 14, 2000). The Maslow Business Reader. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-36008-2.
  13. ^ Donahue, Dick; Lauren Joyce (January 22, 2007). "Springing Forward: Women's Studies". Publishers Weekly. Reed Business Information.
  14. ^ Staff (November 23, 2006). "Jackie leaves on her terms". San Mateo County Times.
  15. ^ Speier, Jackie; Deborah Collins Stephens; Michealene Cristini Risley; Jan Yanehiro (March 2007). This Is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down. Conari Press. ISBN 1-57324-305-1.
  16. ^ Staff. "The Book: Synopsis". This Is Not The Life I Ordered, official site. Archived from the original on 2008-02-01. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  17. ^ a b c Bonter, Pam. "Book Review: This Is Not The Life I Ordered". ForeWord Magazine. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  18. ^ Staff (June 21, 2007). "This Is Not the Life I Ordered Remains on The SF Chronicle Bestseller List!". Conari Press News. Archived from the original on November 4, 2007.
  19. ^ Staff (Jun 17, 2007). "Best-Sellers". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications Inc.
  20. ^ Staff (October 16, 2007). "Sacramento O7 Books". Professional BusinessWomen of California. PBWC. Archived from the original on November 8, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
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